Deep Ocean, Large Area Search/Survey

2 WI REMUS-6000 vehicles operated by OSL of WHOI, along with a GEOMAR vehicle are squeezed into two control vans while they wait to be deployed. This was during the search for Air France's lost Airbus in 2010. (OSL)

Driven under the same technology that made REMUS-100 a leading force in AUV technology, REMUS-6000 was created, with support from ONR and the Naval Oceanographic Office, to go to deeper depths and longer mission duration. Loaded with an 11 kWh rechargeable Li-ion battery pack, REMUS-6000 can swim in its standard configuration up to 22 hours at speeds up to 4 knots (2.06 m/s). The standard configuration consists of an ADCP, CTD, sidescan sonar and a High-Resolution digital still camera.

REMUS-6000 is the vehicle of choice for deep-sea ocean mapping and surveying in difficult terrain. The terrain-following algorithms allow REMUS to climb and dive steep terrain, while still collecting high resolutin bathymetric data. REMUS-6000 is the AUV that found the lost Air France Flight 447 in over 4000 meters of water. It has also been used to discover new deep water coral reefs and to search for Amelia Earhart's plane.

Launch and Recovery System (LARS)

The REMUS Launch and Recovery System has made over 1000 successful
launch and recoveries to date. Due to the vehicle's larger size, this
self-contained system has been engineered here at WHOI in the OSL. It
enables the L & R of the vehicle in sea states up to those created
by the Beaufort Scale 5 winds.

It requires only one operator
and, therefore, does away with the need to use tag lines eliminating
extra people on deck and creating a safer working environment.

LARS
is installed on the stern of a ship. For launch, the LARS has a
built-in A-frame, which tilts the cradle up and over, while leaving the
vehicle hanging by its nose well clear of the fantail. The cradle
supports the vehicle during A-frame rotation, stabilizing the vehicle
until it is a safe distance from the stern. The docking head provides
damping to reduce swing in heavy seas. The vehicle is then lowered into
the water, tail first, while the ship is making approximately 1-2 knots
forward way (this allows the vehicle to stay well clear of the ships
screws). All systems are given one final checkout before release. When
ready, the vehicle is commanded to release its tow-line and begin its
mission.

Imaging capabilities example: Discoveries over 3,500 meters depth

REMUS-6000 camera imageImage taken by the onboard camera system of REMUS-6000 and taken during the search for Flight 447.